The Woodland Group of Seven

In the contemporary Canadian art world, Canadian native art wasn’t taken seriously until Norval Morrisseau first appeared on the scene in the 1960s. In 1969 the French Press called Morrisseau the “Picasso of the North”.

Morrisseau’s work showed that native artists and native art could stand shoulder to shoulder with other contemporary Canadian artists. However, native art was still on the fringe of the Canadian art world.

Then in 1973 the Winnipeg Art Gallery held a groundbreaking exhibition called Treaty Numbers 23, 287, 1171. This exhibition, in addition to Norval Morrisseau, featured art by native artists Jackson Beardy, Eddy Cobiness, Alex Janvier, Daphne Odjig, Carl Ray and Joe Sanchez. This exhibition is reputed to be the birth of the Woodland Group of Seven, also known as the Professional National Indian Artists Inc.

This breakthrough exhibition showed that native artists truly had a unique and important contribution to make to the art world. More influenced by Eastern Woodland Indian culture than European culture, these artists had created a style all their own. The images in their work came from native legends and imagery. The Winnipeg show was followed by three more shows throughout Canada.

The Woodland Group of Seven’s art features a predominant black form line, an undifferentiated background, pure colours, and imagery from native legends and healing.

In addition to moving native art into the mainstream of the Canadian art world, the Woodland Group of Seven has played an important role in influencing younger native artists. Just as the original Group of Seven paved the way for Canadian artists to paint Canadian scenes and images, the Woodland Group of Seven opened the doors for a new generation of native artists. The Woodland School is now an established and recognized form of Canadian native art.

Norval Morrisseau: Art as Wholistic Education